Pastel Voyages

hen I first visited Crete on a six-week journey in the W fall of 1985, I was looking for new inspiration. There was a mys- tique about the island—a place associated with the beginnings of European civilization. The Bronze Age Minoans flourished there between 3000 and 1100 B.C. and then mysteriously disappeared. Crete is also the largest of the Greek isles by area, with everything an artist could wish for: extraordinary scenery and people noted for their hospitality. It was with good fortune that a close friend of mine, who happens to be Greek, arranged for me to stay with her elderly mother at their family home in the small mountain village of Korakies. Her mother didn’t speak any English, and I could only speak a few words of Greek, but somehow with a lot of hand gestures and smiles, we managed to communicate. From Korakies I’d head out on foot each morning to find a new vantage point to set up my easel. Korakies overlooks Souda Bay and also has wonderful views of verdant valleys crisscrossed by olive groves, vine- yards and distant villages. When I tired of painting these landscapes, Besides the beautiful panoramic I’d take the public bus into the city views on Crete, there are more inti- of Chania several miles away. The a lighthouse. Its narrow streets, mate views like the one that inspired second largest city in Crete, it’s noted alleyways and colorful markets are Agia Triada Monastery Doorway (pastel on granular board, 18x14). for its ancient Venetian harbor with additional highlights. The old harbors on Crete, as seen colorful boats, waterfront cafés and Near the end of my visit, I rented a in my painting Rethymno Harbor with Red (pastel on sanded car to see more of the island. The land- paper, 14x18), offer an amazing scapes I saw and painted reminded Treasure array of shapes and colors me of the pastoral scenes depicted Tips for Travelers with which to have fun. in the paintings of Jean-François Crete has a relatively mild and Millet (French; 1814–1875) and pleasant climate, but spring and fall Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (French; are the most comfortable seasons. 1796–1875). On the other hand, Tourists flock to the island’s beaches the city scenes were reminiscent of in July and August, so it’s best to photos of New Orleans from the 1900s visit in other seasons if you wish to ISland and the city’s French Market that avoid the crowds and heat. I remembered from my time in art Crete is a long, narrow island, With just the right combination of bucolic vistas and old-world European city life, school in the mid 1960s. It was a little about 160 miles long, 12 miles across like going back in time. It occurred to at its narrowest point, and 37 miles the Greek island of Crete offers endless opportunity for the plein-air painter. me that so much of the culture I see at across at its widest point. A car is I was never at a loss to find a a good spot on home in Louisiana is derived from this needed to see every region. If time is By Alan Flattmann the island to set up my easel. European ancestry. a factor and you have to be selective,

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the two most interesting cities for second is the remote seaside village of vast agricultural area with windmills painting harbors and city scenes Loutro, famous for its white buildings scattered about to power irrigation. are Chania and Rethymno on the with blue windowframes and doors, western side. Both have fantastic old and a crystal-clear bay. About Plein Air harbors that offer endless possi- Staying on the eastern side of Pastels are my first choice for plein bilities. If you have only a week, you the island, Agios Nikolaos would be air painting, and packing light is wouldn’t be bored staying in either a good base. It’s a charming small always a top priority when travel- place the entire time. resort town set on a hilly peninsula ing. Now, I take two of my own sets: From Chania or Rethymno, you can overlooking Mirabello Bay, named the Great American Alan Flattmann take numerous excursions for sketch- for its beautiful view (mira bella) of Master Palette (a 91-piece, half-stick ing and photographing, but I have the sea. From Agios Nikolaos, you assortment) and the Jack Richeson two favorites. The first is Agia Triada could drive to Kritsa, a fascinating Alan Flattmann All-Purpose Set of Monastery, a 17th-century complex little village that offers wonderful 80 pastels. Both are relatively light- set in the beautiful countryside. The views of local life. It’s a honeycomb weight with enough colors to paint of white-washed houses, narrow anything. I also bring vine charcoal Mountain Hamlet (pastel alleyways and steep stairways. and a small assortment of hard on linen mat board, 20x29) Nearby is the Lasithi Plateau. Set in pastels and pastel pencils. I prefer depicts a typical view of the a mountain range, the plateau is a working on sanded papers or my own small white villages one finds throughout Crete.

top The Greek (pastel on sanded paper, 16x11) above The Happy Greek (pastel on sanded paper, 15x21) These two pastels are the result of a lucky encounter with the interest- ing character shown in both. I was taking photos on a mountain road when I heard a voice behind me yelling, “Ohi, ohi” (no, no). I turned around and wondered what I was doing wrong. This man was coming up a steep path from the side of the road and waving at me to follow him, so I followed him and his donkey until we came to an opening in the trees that offered a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and a gleaming white village in the distance. He wanted me to photo- graph the view, but by that time I was more interested in photographing him, which he kindly and proudly allowed.

22 Pastel Journal JUne 2020 ArtistsNetwork.com 23 Pastel Voyages Pastels are the perfect With its Mediterranean climate, medium for an impres- Crete is known for its hot sunny sionistic approach to summers, but it was the beauty painting with the use of to be found in a rainy day that broken strokes, as seen inspired Stormy Day in Chania in The Old Harbor of (pastel on granular board, 14x18). Chania (pastel on granu- lar board, 19x28).

on to produce many more paintings from reference photos. Since then, I’ve led five painting and sketching workshops to Crete and continue to enjoy painting the island every time I return. PJ

Alan Flattmann (alanflattmann.com) is a Pastel Society of America Hall of Fame honoree, an Eminent Pastelist in the International Association of Pastel I’ve also made a habit in the past Many Happy Returns Societies, and the author of book, The few years of taking a few photos of In my eyes, Crete has a truly authen- Art of Pastel Painting.His paintings have every place I go with my iPhone. It tic, old-European culture with been shown in France, Columbia, China has a great feature that identifies and genuine, friendly people who have and Taiwan, and his work is part of the records your location at the time you a deep attachment and reverence collections of the Hang Ming Shi Pastel took the photo. That’s a big help when for their land. I returned home with Art Museum, in Suzhou, China, and eight you come back from a trip and can’t about 30 small pastel paintings from museums in the U.S., as well as many other remember all the places you’ve been! that first trip 35 years ago and went private and public collections.

granular papers (prepared with a I generally limit on-location paint- many interesting faces and characters ground of acrylic gesso mixed with ing time to about two or three hours in a place like Crete; photography pumice powder) cut into 12x16-inch or else the light changes too much. is the only way to capture them all, and 14x18-inch sizes. A rigid portfo- Sometimes I’m able to complete the and it’s much easier now with digital lio is essential to hold and protect the painting on location, but usually I get cameras. I carry a small digital camera paper from damage. them about 80 to 90 percent complete in a holster on my belt. It’s incon- I’ve tried all sorts of easels for and finish them at home. spicuous and has a great zoom lens plein air painting, but my favorite is In addition to the paintings and for candid shots of people. Be sure to still a half-box French easel. It’s by sketches I do on location, I also take ask permission if you want to take a far the most stable and holds up well hundreds of photos for future refer- close-up photo of someone. I’ve found in the wind. My easel weighs about 9 ence. I particularly rely on photos for the people I meet on the island are pounds and fits in my suitcase. my studies of people. There are so friendly and I’m rarely turned down.

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